Lebanon's Elections Turn Violent, Bomb Explodes Ahead of Saad's Trip North

Lebanon's elections are turning ugly. A grenade blast terrorized the population of Seir Al Dinnieh near Tripoli last night Monday ahead of a planned visit by Saad Hariri, while Hizbullah motorcyclists clashed with residents of Beirut's Christian residential neighborhood of Ashrafiyeh, leaving one man injured and a motorcycle burned. An Nahar said some 40 Hizbullah motorcyclists crisscrossed Ashrafiyeh's Sassin Square, brandishing Hizbullah and Amal flags to celebrate the sweeping victory of the two allied groups in south Lebanon's elections on Sunday. "This sparked a shouting match that developed into a battle with sticks with Ashrafiyeh's young men. One man was injured and a motorcycle burned before army troops raced in to disengage the combatants," An Nahar said. In the north, a grenade was tossed at a field in the Bkarsouna village abutting Seir el Dinniyeh at 9:40 p.m. Monday night, causing panic among residents but no casualties, An Nahar reported. Police cordoned off the scene and set up checkpoints in the area. Hariri is scheduled to lunch with Tayyar Al Mustaqbal's legislator Ahmed Fatfat at his Seir el Dinnyeh house on Tuesday and then drive to Akkar to announce the Hariri election list in north Lebanon's first constituency in a coalition with Samir Geagea's Lebanese forces. The list includes Geagea's wife, Sitrida. "Saad's trip may be postponed or even cancelled in light of information received by Koreitem from local and external sources about a dangerous security action in the works," As Safir said. "Saad's political and security aides have been engaged in overnight emergency consultations to decide on the prospects of the northern foray." The elections in Mount Lebanon and the Bekaa on June 12 and in northern Lebanon June 19 have shaped up into a make-or-brake confrontation between Gen. Aoun and the opposition coalition of Qornet Shahwan, Geagea's LF, Hariri and Walid Jumblat, who jetted to Paris on a private visit on Monday.